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Saturday, October 31, 2009

Whew, I can't believe it is Saturday again. This week has gone by in a blur, every day being stress-filled and high pressure. It didn't allow much time for crafting so I have been running behind on all my DT commitments this week.

This week at Our Creative Corner, our hostess-with-the-Mostest, Lori Rider, has challenged us to make a vintage-style card. Should have been a slam-dunk for me, but of course I had to obsess about it for a couple of days before I got started. I have made several vintage-style cards recently that featured a vintage photo or drawing, so this time I really wanted to use a stamped image. I finally settled on the Daydreaming Angel stamp from Rubber Stampede and the JOY stamp from the SU! set of the same name.

I cut a a piece of Very Vanilla in the shape of a tag and stamped the JOY stamp in Riding Hood Red and Versamark and then clear embossed it for texture. I created a reinforcement with the SU circle punch from a scrap of Riding Hood Red and then threaded a piece of lace through the hole, tied it with red gingham and then added a tiny cameo with a piece of natural hemp. I LOVE making tags, maybe because I can add ribbon. I was purusing some of my recent cards and noticed that I have been using them a lot, so I will try to make this the last one for awhile.

The stars were cut from Very Vanilla covered chipboard with a Szizzix die, then sponged with Tim Holtz Old Paper distress ink. I applied glue very sparingly and sprinkled on chunky glitter. I didn't want a heavy coat of glitter. A strip of Mellow Moss was cut and border punched with the MS snowflake punch and a row of lace was glued to it. The cherub was stamped in Chocolate Chip on Very Vanilla, colored very lightly with chalks, then sponged first with the Old Paper distress ink and just a bit on the edges with Brushed Corduroy. I applied Versamark and extra heavy clear embossing poweder (SU's Glassy Glaze) for the Cracked Glass technique. I did three coats of the EP and then put the element in the freezer for 30 minutes. When I took it out, I immediately cracked it multiple times and then sponged it with Vintage Photo distress ink to make the cracks darker. I thought I was finished, but at the last minute I dug out a Prima flower that was more burgundy than red. I took a red Copic and changed the color on the edges to red to match the card. Chunky glitter was again applied very sparingly.

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

I am so honored to be asked to be a part of the guest design team for the Autum Release for Layers of Color. We're all waiting with great anticipation to see the nine new stamp sets being released November 14th and 15th. Although they are a clear art stamp company, there will be free digis (party favors) for all during the week of November 7th so be sure to go to their website and grab yours! And you'll want to return on November 14th and 15th for the release blog hop and more party favors for all!

Here's my first card using stamps from the Old World Flourish and the Gothic Crosses sets. Of course these vintagy art stamps had an immediate appeal to me because you know I love all things vintage - sigh...and look at what I created with them. I'm a Roman Catholic and I have already been reading the Gospel reading for this Sunday. I had been brainstorming on what I could make that would really pack a punch. When I read this week's Gospel, it just struck me as perfect. It's Matthew 5:1-12 from the Sermon on the Mount containing the Beatitudes which sometimes are so hard for us to understand...Blessed are the poor in spirit - what does that mean? The Beatitudes aren't a list of commandments that we have to live by if we want to follow Jesus. Instead they show us how we can live when the source of our life is Jesus. Because of Him we are "Blessed", our lives reflect a profound change in us, the result of His grace, which enables us to be poor in spirit, gentle, merciful, peacemakers, etc.

I knew I wanted to use chipboard letters to spell out Blessed but I didn't have a stamp for the Beatitude that I had chosen so I printed it out using my computer but also stamped it with one of the LOC stamps, stamped off one time first. The chipboard letters were cut using the Cuttlebug Olivia alphabet set and then heat embossed using Tim Holtz Vintage Photo distress embossing powder, which was also used stencil-like with the Spellbinders Fleur De Lis Borderabilities. Other Spellbinder dies used were the Oval, Tag and Labels 1. The DSP is SU retired Brocade Backgrounds. Tim Holtz Antique Antique Linen distress ink was sponged on the Very Vanilla and Close to Cocoa ink was sponged on the edges of the DSP. The edges were distressed with scissors. And of course the inside panels are also finished off to compliment the front panel.

Daring Cardmakers - These are a few of my favorite things - I think this is just the coolest challenge! You had to include at least five of your favorite tings on your card. If you can get to 10, then you get a virtual gold star. I started looking at this card and it is a gallery of favs for me. Here's my list: layers, stitching, die cuts, tag, popped up, chipboard letters, distressing, embossing, ribbon, pearls, flourishes

Mojo Monday - sketch challenge. I have to admit, I pushed the limits of the sketch a bit, bit I really did use it. I really struggled with the layout of this card until I saw that sketch an then it all fell into place!

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

This week, I went a little country with my Creative Card Crew design team submission. This week our challenge is to make a card with a snowflake on it. As soon as I read the challenge, this kraft brown snowflake with chunky glitter came to mind and I walked around thinking about it for several days before I had a chance to start on it. I knew it would be layered onto another layer of Kraft matted with Chocolate Chip. I thought about red gingham ribbon, but when I perused my ribbon stash I realized that I had never even unwrapped this beautiful SU ribbon that I bought last holiday season. I thought this was the perfect time to get it out and use it. I also had never used the MS snowflake border punch that I used along the bottom. And that glitter I applied under the border punch? Well, it was white in the bottle! I guess I applied it too thick because it is now green in all lights. Lucky for me that green is a Chistmas color - LOL! All the edges were sponged with Close to Cocoa. The large snowflake and the smaller ones are Cuttlebug dies and the embossing folder is also from CB. The tag is a Spellbinders die and the tiny safety pin is by Tim Holtz.

I am slammed with work this week. My part time job managing the food pantry at our church morphed into full time +++ last week with the great need in Miami (not that I'm getting any extra pay - LOL! The overtime is my ministry.) So I skimped again on this card and did not do my usual finishing off of the inside panels. And I can't promise I'll catch up and post the other pics next week because I don't think the demand for emergency food is going to be reduced any time soon. So I'll just do the best I can to balance my art and my ministry. Prayers for new jobs are greatly needed in our country right now.

Saturday, October 24, 2009

The time has rolled around again for another of our weekly challeges at Our Creative Corner. Our hostess, Lori Rider, is challenging us to make a card inspired by a favorite horror movie or book. I think it must be a generation thing, but I'm not a big fan of horror movies. Now my kids, that's another story. The scarier the better as far as they're concerned! So I really had to stretch on this one. I decided on The Birds, that classic Hitchcock film, not so much because it was my favorite, but because it was one that I had actually seen - LOL! So I searched around for vintage artwork that might depict birds. I found this cool image which is more like Poe's The Raven.

Here is my design team submission for this challenge. The base of the card is Basic Black. Up one layer is Creamy Caramel embossed with the CB Textile folder and brayered with black ink. The next layer up is digital designer paper from DigitalDesignz which I printed on my home printer. The main image of the crow is from a Halloween ephemera collage sheet that I purchased off Etsy. I don't remember the link for the seller, but there is a lot of vintage artwork for sale on Etsy.

The flower petals were punched out with two sizes of hearts using my old Creative Memories heart maker. For the black petals, I ran a sheet of Basic Black through the Textile embossing folder, then brayered it with Versamark and sprinkled on Tim Holtz Tea Dye distress embossing powder - more rusted look! The brad was stamped with a skeleton head from a Clear Art Stamps (by Inkadinkado) stamp that said Happy Halloween - the kind you pick up for $1 when you are waiting in line at Jo-Ann's. I punched out the skeleton head with the small SU punch and used SU's Build a Brad to create it. The inside R.I.P. stamp is also from Clear Art Stamps and the All Hallow's Eve stamp on the bottom panel is from Pink Paislee.

I hope you will take some time and stop over to Our Creative Corner to see the great samples the other team members have submitted. And while you're at it, check out their blogs to see the other creations by these lovely, talented ladies.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

This charming vintage images tugs at my heartstrings. There is something so purely innocent these three little ones playing at having a tea party that makes me want to sit and play along with them, drinking in their simple joy.

This week, the challenge at the Creative Card Crew is to make a card for a child or baby. I seem to be fresh out of those type of stamps so I went to my collection of vintage images. This one if from Shabby Chic Papirskatter. Here is my design team submission for this week's challenge. I hope you will stop by and check out the rest of the DT submissions and maybe play along. Be sure to chck out their blogs and see their other fantastic creations.

For this card, the paper is Melissa Frances. The front frame was cut with the Mega Rectangle Nestabilities and stamped with an Artistic Outpost filagree stamp (yes, its the same one that I used for my last card. I just discovered this stamp in my stash. I had never used it and now I LOVE it - LOL!!). I inked it up with Versamark and Pretty in Pink and clear embossed it to add texture. I stamped it in the opposite corners of two sizes of the frame, which I then layered with craft foam between. The lable was also cut with a Spellbinders tag die and the bottom punched with a MS border punch.

On the inside, I used two heart dies to cut the element and then glued it down together. I like the way the one heart cut inside the other one looks. The sentiment is by Rubbernecker and the floruishes are by InqueBoutique. The lower panel was dry embossed with my Cuttlebug and the With Love set of embossing borders.

So that's my design team entry for this week. Hope to see an entry from you over at the Creative Card Crew blog.

Saturday, October 17, 2009

You're invited to play along with us in this week's challenge at Our Creative Corner. Our hostess, Lori Rider, has challenged us to use these four colors on our projects this week: Sage Shadow, Handsome Hunter, Blush Blossom and Soft Suede. It took me quite some time to come up with my design this week. I was okay with combining all the colors except the Sage Shadow. That was my biggest hurdle. So I played around with the design for awhile and finally came up with this card. Once I finally got going on it, I had fun with it. And I must say, I have a new love for Blush Blossom! Of course, I couldn't resist making something vintage and distressing it. I was overdue for getting my scissors out and raking them along the edges of the paper.

I haven't bought any of Stampin' Up's In-Colors this year so I didn't have any Soft Suede. However, I found some digital designer paper that I believe is quite close to the right shade. I stamped the flourishes (Artistic Outpost) with Tim Holtz Frayed Burlap, which I believe is also close to Soft Suede. I love the way it looks on the Blush Blossom. I also spritzed the Blush Blossom with Tattered Angels (Simply Khaki) Glimmer Mist.

The fleur de lis were cut with Spellbinders dies and embossed with Tim Holtz Vintage Photo Distress embossing powder. I love that stuff. It makes it look like rusted iron - way cool!! The vintage images are from the SU set Provencial and were colored with Copics The 'Enjoy the Journey' and ticket stamps are from Crafty Secrets Clear Art Stamps. Oh, and the little spinner is from Tim Holtz.

I hope you'll be able to play along with the OCC girls this week and if you have time, check out the rest of the design team's personal blogs listed along my sidebar. It's a great group of very talented ladies!

Monday, October 12, 2009

Here is my DT card for this week's challenge at Creative Card Crew. The challenge is to make a card with scallops. My first impulse was to use my Nestabilities, but a couple of weeks ago, I made this card using the Martha Stewart scallop border punch and I really liked the way it came out so I went for it again. The layouts are somewhat the same on the front, but I changed the inside panels.

This is another vintage image from a CD I purchased from LunaGirl.com. It was printed on my home printer on 110# white card stock. I made the frame with my Nesties from the same card stock. I cut two identical frames and glued them together for thickness. I would have preferred chipboard, but the Nesties don't cut chipboard very well, only the very thinest of chipboards. Once cut and glued, I sponged the edges a bit with Creamy Caramel ink, applied glue to the surface and then spinkled on some chunky glitter. The black velvet floral strip is from Prima as is the flower. I also applied the chunky glitter to the flower. The flourish is an Inkadinkado stamp and the black pearls are from KaiserCraft. The words 'Mery Christmas' in the upper right are from the same vintage image. I cut them off the section with the little girl and glued them in the upper corner. The word 'Celebrate" is on a piece of pre-decorated chipboard from K&Co. I bought a box of Chirstmas Cheer Chipboard - 55 pieces on after-Christmas sale last year for about $3. I really prefer to make my own embellishments, but these were vintagy and cheap so I grabbed them. The snowflakes on the inside were cut with Cuttlebug dies, sponged and glittered same as the frame. The 'Seasons Greetings' stamp on the inside is from Stampin' Up. I think that about covers it. If you have any questions, feel free to leave them in the comments section.

I have also entered this card into the Bizzy Becs - Creatalicious challenge. The challenge ending on the 15th is to make a creation with the color combination of pink or plum plus burgundy and green. Also to add some sort of fiber such as lace or ribbon.

Saturday, October 10, 2009

A quick post today as I am getting ready to head out for a weekend trip. My huband and I are visiting our daughter who is a college student at Florida State University. She's in her third year there and this is the first year we have had the opportunity of being with her for Parent's Weekend. So I skimped a bit on my card this week too. You will notice that I didn't decorate the inside of this card as I usually do. It feels unfinished to me so next week when I return, I will get going on the interior panels.

I've had this delish Cosmo Cricket designer paper in my stash for a few months now and finally got up the courage to cut into it - LOL!! I know all you paper horders will understand that feeling! I really love their papers and want to hang on to them instead of using them. Our hostess, Lori Rider, has designed this sketch for Our Creative Corner which really challenged me. I actually had all the paper cut and an image colored for a completely different card, but it just wasn't coming together. I wanted a more clean and simple look for this sketch than what I normally produce. So here it is - the best I can do for CAS! I just very lightly sponged the edges with Antique Linen Tim Holtz distress ink and no frayed edges!

The card is mounted on a base of Mellow Moss and Very Vanilla. The filagree frame is Inkadinkado and the defination stamp is SU's Lexicon of Love. The filagree frame was stamped with Versamark and Real Red and clear embossed on a piece of vellum. I trimmed both out and mounted the definations (oval cut with Nesties) on the back of the vellum pieces. And that was that for the moment. Check back next week if you want to see the interior of the card.

Thanks for visiting and maybe even leaving a comment. Wishing you all a wonderful weekend.

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

I have some exciting news to share with you today. I recently received an invitation to join the wonderful group of papercraft artists at the Creative Card Crew. Of course, I accepted immediately (while jumping up and down). It's a Tuesday weekly challenge and this week's challenge is to make a celebration card. I'm still focusing on all the fall celebrations and chose Halloween for my celebration card.

I love this vintage image from a LunaGirl CD that I have. I printed it out on my home printer. Also, the Graphics Fairy has had some dynomite vintage Halloween images recently and the three letters B-O-O are from her blog. I downloaded them and resized them to fit on my card and to be able to cut with my Circle Nestabilities. The lattice behind the letters is center of the new Fleur De Lis Spellbinder Shapability Pendant. I purchased the dies recently and this is the first project I have made with them. I really love this set!!

The layer of Basic Black has been clear embossed using the SU Filagree background stamp, which I think lends sort of a Gothic Halloween feel. The DSP is from last year's SU Pumpkin Pie pack. The Happy Halloween stamp is one of those Clear Mini stamps from the $1 bins at Jo-Ann's and the stamps on the lower panel are from Pink Paislee. That about wraps up the details for this card. As usual, now that my DT card for this week has been revealed, I'm going to look for some other challenges to enter it into. If you know of any it fits, please leave me a comment. Here are some challenges I have found:

Friday, October 2, 2009

I can't believe that I have already been on the OCC design team for an entire month. This month our hostess is Lori Rider and she has some great challenes in store for us. The first on is an inspiration challenge. I don't think I have ever done an inspiration challenge before. I know Splitcoast Stampers regularly has one a week, but I have never joined in for that challenge. Lori has challenged us to be inspired by one or both journals by Moique Duval which you can see on this post.

The journals are lovely and I really liked the quote "and then she jumped into the mountains and unexplored regions of her heart". I remembered that I had a Rubbernecker sentiment stamp wih something similar. I have actually been wanting to make a card with a quote or sentiment as the main focal point. So this was the perfect opportunity. Since I am in an autumn groove (or rut) right now, I chose the journal with the fall color scheme for my inspriration. I started with some designer paper from last year's SU Pumpkin Pie DSP which I layered on Really Rust and then Chocolate Chip for a base. Also from last year's SU line, I had some brown felt ribbon which I had never used so I pulled that out also, determined to use it on this piece. Rather than just running a flat ribbon across the front, I created three sets of pleats, tacking them with linen thread which I then tied in a knot. I searched through a Foof-a-La Bag-o-Buttons and came up with a handful of peachy buttons that I used to embellish the felt ribbon. The Rubbernecker sentiment was stamped in Versamark and Chocolate Chip Classic ink and then heat embossed with Clear EP. The sentiment pane was cut with the Spellbinders Mega Rectangles die. Leaves from the Best Blossom set were stamped with Versamark onto Chocolate Chip cardstock, clear embossed and trimmed out. The border along the bottom was punched with a Martha Stewart border punch.

The interior of the card was similarly decorated. The flower is Prima and the Chocolate Chip strip is dry embossed with the new CB Organic Flourish Embossing Border. I severely restrained myself (LOL) and did not scissor distress the edges, however, I did sponge the edges with Really Rust ink. It's not a color I normally use for sponging and I found that I really like it.

I am also hunting for other challenges to enter this card into. Here's what I have found so far

Crafty Calendar Challenge - a once a month challenge blog started by a 13 year old crafter. This month's challenge is to make an autumn card, with an extra option to include plants or vegetation.

Featured April 17th

Retired from the everyday workaday world. Owner of The Funkie Junkie, a small on-line craft boutique. When I'm not packing orders, I'm indulging my passion for creating beauty by making hand-made greeting cards and other paper crafts.